Peñafrancia Festival is one of the biggest Marian festivals in the world. It is held every September in Naga City, Camarines Sur where thousands of devotees and tourists converge to give honor to the Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The festival took place in its 304th year making it one of the oldest festivals in the Philippines.
Our Lady of Peñafrancia is the Principal Patroness and Queen of Bicol who is endearingly addressed by Bicolanos as Ina (mother). The shrine which is dedicated to her gathers more than five million devotees every year and is known as one of the biggest Marian pilgrimage sites in the world.
The festival started with a nine-day novenario to the Divino Rostro which is brought to the old Peñafrancia Shrine, the old home of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia, through a procession and stays there for nine days of novenario. The novenario centers on the sick and the faith in the power of Jesus.
After the novenario, Traslacion occurred; it is usually done on the second Friday of September which marks the feast day of the Divino Rostro after his nine days of novena at the shrine and the start of the first of the nine-day novena masses in honor of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
During Traslacion, the image of Ina was transferred from the Peñafrancia Shrine to the downtown Metropolitan Cathedral where she will stay for nine days, while Divino Rostro leaves the shrine and heads to Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.
During this phase of the festival, believers and devotees alike pay homage to Ina where her image can be seen everywhere; from the statuettes, souvenir shirts, tarpaulin, banners and from the people that will shout her name looking for a miracle giving us a vivid image that she is truly a patroness that Marian devotees yearn for.
Before and after the Traslacion, entertainment and sports events were held including the Ginoong Bicolandia 2014; RAPCON 2014: Naga Invasion; Pretty Boy Bicolandia 2014 & Bicol Regional Dance Showdown; 2nd Isarog Swim Race; Naga City High Triathlon and Peñafrancia Longboard Festival.
To end the festivity, a glorious fluvial procession took place. The image of Ina was carried in a pagoda on its return journey to the basilica from the centuries-old Naga Cathedral, where a Pontifical Mass was held. Along the route, the devotees shouted “¡Viva La Virgen!".
The image of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia was surrounded by a battalion of exclusively male devotees. Bicolanos follow their folk custom that no woman, Filipina or foreigner, can board the barge with the Virgin as they will surely spell disaster. This year’s theme was “Laity: Sent Forth With Ina to Witness to Christ’s Gospel and Strengthen Communities of Faith.”
How to Get There:
From Manila, tourists can take a flight going to Naga City Airport which is situated outside the city proper, in the nearby town of Pili. Travel time is approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Tourists can also get to Naga by land, there is an eight-hour bus ride from Pasay or Cubao.